No-gyro approach is used when which equipment malfunctions?

• A. A radar approach used when either the gyro-compass or directional gyro is malfunctioning
• B. An approach that relies on GPS guidance
• C. An approach that uses VOR only
• D. A standard instrument landing approach

Answer: (A)

When the aircraft’s gyroscopic instruments are not available, you need guidance that doesn’t depend on your own attitude or heading references. A no-gyro approach is a radar approach where air traffic control uses ground-based radar to provide vectors and descent guidance to the final approach, so you can fly the approach without relying on the gyro instruments. This is why it’s used specifically when the gyro-compass or directional gyro is malfunctioning. GPS-guided or VOR-only approaches still rely on navigation readouts that depend on those systems, and a standard instrument landing approach assumes you have attitude and heading information from the aircraft’s gyros.